Consumers have plenty of options within the compact crossover segment, from luxury options like the BMW X1 and the Audi Q3 to proven standbys like the Honda CR-V and the Mazda CX-5. Fiat is doing its best to stay relevant in this critical segment in 2019 with a mid-cycle refresh of the 500X. While the 500X includes styling changes, the most notable changes include a new engine and standard all-wheel drive (AWD).

The 2019 500X gets a 1.3-liter turbocharged inline-4 that delivers 177 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque, creating more overall power than last year’s base 1.4-liter turbo 4-cylinder engine and more torque than the optional 2.4-liter.

While the 2018 offered the choice of manual or automatic transmissions, the 2019 Fiat 500X only comes with a 9-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift capability. The 500X gets 23 mpg city, 29 highway, and 26 combined. The Dynamic Selector System offers three driving modes: Auto, Sport, and Traction+.

Fiat redesigned both the front and rear fascia, but the changes are subtle. There’s now an LED signature strip around the front light module along with new LED headlights, which are a much-needed upgrade since the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the 2018 headlights a “Poor” rating for their visibility. The once-rectangular fog lamps are now round, and the taillights are now also lit with LED bulbs. There are also some new 17- and 18-inch wheel choices and three new color options: Italia Blue, Vibrante Green, and Milano Ivory.

The interior updates include a newly contoured steering wheel with Techno-leather grip and a redesigned instrument cluster that maintains Fiat’s blend of vintage looks and modern technology. The analog speedometer and tachometer sit on either side of a 3.5-inch reconfigurable thin-film transistor (TFT) display. The 500X offers 50.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front seats. The front passenger seat folds flat and the rear seats split 60/40 to increase cargo room and versatility.

The base Pop and the more robust Trekking carry over from last year, but the Lounge trim from last year is gone, replaced by a Trekking Plus trim. The Pop comes with features like heated mirrors, remote start, a reversing camera, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and the latest Uconnect infotainment system with a high-resolution 7-inch touchscreen. The Trekking trim adds premium quilted-cloth seats, leatherette door-trim inserts, a free 12-month subscription to Sirius XM Radio, a black grille with metallic surround, metallic door handles, and 17-inch silver aluminum wheels. The new Trekking Plus trim gets a comfort upgrade with 8-way power-adjustable heated leather front seats with 4-way lumbar support. The top-end trim also gets navigation, an upgraded 8-speaker audio system, park assist, dual-zone automatic temperature control, ambient lighting, 17-inch matte-black aluminum wheels, and LED projector headlights.

All of the Fiat 500X trims come with a reassuring mix of safety features, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-path detection, and electronic stability control with roll mitigation. As of this writing, the Fiat 500X hasn’t yet been crash tested.

The Fiat 500X stands out from the rest with its Italian design, helping it stand out in a crowded segment.